Floor covering panel

Abstract

Floor covering hard panels having at least on two opposite edges, coupling elements made in one piece with the panels, so that several ones of such panels can be mutually coupled, whereby these coupling elements provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges and parallel to the plane of the panels, and whereby these coupling elements are made such that the panels can be rotated into and/or out of one another at least along the above-mentioned edges. The panels are provided, at least on the above-mentioned edges, near the top side, with a part from which has been removed an amount of material such as by a bevel.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A floor covering including a plurality of interlocking hard floor panels, comprising:
 a floor panel having a core formed from MDF or HDF, a top side including a substantially flat upper surface and a laminated structure with a continuous decorative layer located along the upper surface of the panel, the decorative layer containing a layer printed with a pattern; 
 wherein said floor panels are formed starting from a larger board upon which one or several layers including said decorative layer is already present before the panel itself is formed; 
 wherein each of said floor panels is provided with a first coupling means formed along a first pair of opposite edges, allowing that two of such panels can be coupled to each other without any play or practically without any play; 
 wherein said first coupling means are configured such that they provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor covering, and in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to a plane of the floor covering; 
 said first coupling means being realized with a first coupling part in the form of a tongue along a first edge of said first pair of opposite edges, as well as with a second coupling part in the form of a groove along a second edge of said first pair of opposite edges, said groove being bordered by an upper lip having a distal end and a lower lip, said lower lip extending beyond the distal end of the upper lip; 
 said first coupling means for horizontal locking further being realized with a single contact surface at the lower side of said tongue and a single contact surface at the upper side of the lower lip which in the coupled condition of two of such panels provide a locking which prevents that the panels can drift apart, the contact surface at the upper side of the lower lip being positioned in the lower lip at a location beyond the distal end of the upper lip; 
 said first coupling means being configured such that two of such panels can be joined by rotating the panels along the edges concerned; 
 wherein a bevel is formed at each of said first and second edges of the panel, and located near a top side of the panel and extending downward from a respective upper bevel edge to a respective lower edge, wherein the surfaces of the bevels are realized with the continuous decorative layer located thereover; 
 said lower edge of each bevel defining the position of a theoretical vertical joint plane where the panels in coupled condition join each other at their upper sides; 
 wherein said first coupling means are formed in one piece with and from the core, such that the distance between the joint plane defined by the lower side of the bevel and the corresponding locking surface is substantially only determined by the one-piece core material of said core; and 
 wherein said contact surface at the lower side of the tongue is located nearer to a center of the panel from a vertical plane through said upper bevel edge, such that said contact surface at the lower side of the tongue and the bevel do not overlap. 
 
     
     
       2. The floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel is realized with a minimum thickness of 9 mm. 
     
     
       3. The floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel is realized with a minimum thickness of 10 mm. 
     
     
       4. The floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling means located along at least said first pair of opposite edges is realized to couple two of the panels by shifting the two panels towards one another. 
     
     
       5. The floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel further comprises a second pair of opposite edges provided with a second coupling means formed in one piece with the panel such that at least two panels can be mutually coupled without any play or practically without any play, the second coupling means providing for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor covering, and in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to the plane of the floor covering. 
     
     
       6. The floor covering according to  claim 5 , wherein the second coupling means is arranged for an assembly according to at least one of the following possibilities selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) at least by shifting two of the panels towards one other; 
 (b) exclusively by shifting two of the panels towards one another; 
 (c) at least by rotating the panels along the edges concerned; 
 (d) exclusively by rotating two of the panels along the edges concerned; and 
 (e) by shifting two of the panels towards one another and by rotating them. 
 
     
     
       7. The floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the first coupling means is arranged for an uncoupling according to at least one of the following possibilities selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) at least by shifting two of the panels out of one another in a direction perpendicular to the edges; 
 (b) exclusively by shifting two of the panels out of one another in a direction perpendicular to the edges; 
 (c) at least by rotating two of the panels along the edges concerned; 
 (d) exclusively by rotating two of the panels along the edges concerned; and 
 (e) by shifting two of the panels out of one another and by rotating them. 
 
     
     
       8. The floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein a virtual straight extension of the lower edge of the bevel does not intersect the floor panel.